Topline
The History Channel’s treasure-hunting reality show “Curse of Oak Island” is back for its 11th season and is drawing unprecedented numbers, rivaling even the most popular cable news programs and Hallmark’s slate of holiday movies. The show has not only kept audiences engaged for more than a decade, but it has also sparked numerous spinoffs, books, and even video games.
“The Curse of Oak Island” airs on the History Channel.
History.com
Key Facts
According to Nielsen data, the season premiere of “Curse of Oak Island” drew 2 million viewers on cable news, and the audience has continued to grow since then. The third episode of the 11th season, which aired on Nov. 21, became the most-watched episode of the season so far, with 2.4 million viewers, securing its place as the most popular cable show on television for the day. In fact, it was only out-rated by Fox News programs, NFL and college football games, and a Hallmark holiday movie that week.
Notably, episodes this season have even out-rated major programs like the Ole Miss v. Mississippi college football game, the Celtics v. Bucks NBA matchup, and the return of Randy Orton to “WWE Raw” on the USA Network.
As a result of the show’s return, the History Channel has seen a surge in viewership, jumping from the 18th most-watched cable network to the eighth, with an average of 328,000 viewers reported last week.
In the most recent Nielsen data available for the week of Nov. 27 to Dec. 3, the show was the 13th most-watched on cable, with 2.3 million viewers, out-rating nearly every other program that week.
Parrot Analytics reported that the audience demand for “The Curse of Oak Island” was 12.8 times higher than the average American show, based on streaming, downloads, social media activity, and online searches—an impressive level achieved by only 2.7% of all TV shows.
The show’s success isn’t novel—it previously drew 3.8 million viewers for a 2017 season finale and has even inspired three spin-off shows, deep-dive episodes, and a puzzle game currently in development.
Big Number
11%. Audience demand for “The Curse of Oak Island” increased by 11% during October, according to Parrot Analytics, ahead of the premiere of season 11.
Key Background
“The Curse of Oak Island” first premiered in 2014 and follows a team of hunters led by brothers Marty and Rick Lagina in pursuit of a centuries-old treasure on Oak Island in Nova Scotia. The show is based on the legend that valuable cultural treasures like the Holy Grail and the Ark of the Covenant are buried on the island.